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Car accidents can shake you up mentally and physically, and being under stress could cause you to completely forget how to handle the situation. Thinking about what you’ll need to say ahead of time can stop you from saying the wrong thing. After a car accident, you’ll want to remember some key steps to follow to avoid making a costly mistake, such as forgetting to get important information at the scene. Here’s some advice from the professionals at Altra Insurance, providers of auto insurance San Diego drivers trust for reliable, high-quality service.
Ask if Everyone Is Okay
Everyone’s safety is the priority after an accident. You’ll first want to make sure anyone else in your car is doing fine. Once you can safely exit your vehicle, look around to find any other people who were involved in the accident. Identifying the people who are witnesses or passengers in the other vehicle helps you figure out how to proceed with talking to each person at the scene.
Request Medical Assistance if Necessary
The next thing to discuss is whether or not anyone needs prompt medical care. You’ll need to call for emergency services if anyone has a serious injury. If emergency responders are needed, be ready to provide information about the location of the accident along with any symptoms that could help emergency personnel anticipate the type of care that may be needed. You may also want to find out if any people involved have minor injuries that require them to leave soon. This allows you to talk to them first about what happened.
Exchange Your Basic Information
After everyone is deemed healthy enough to proceed, you’ll want to exchange personal information with the other people involved. At this point, you can keep things simple. Just trade names, phone numbers, and insurance information. You’ll definitely need this information from the other driver, but you may also need to ask witnesses how you can contact them later if questions arise. Most people will willingly provide their personal information if they know it will help.
Avoid Admitting to Any Kind of Fault
For some people, the natural instinct is to accept blame and instantly start apologizing for an accident. However, you might implicate yourself as being responsible for an accident that wasn’t your fault. Too often, more information is found at the scene that shows a different scenario from what you might think happened during the accident. For instance, you might find out a witness saw the other driver using his or her cell phone when you thought you’d misjudged a four-way stop.
Tell Your Insurance Company about the Accident
The next person to talk to is your insurance company’s representative. He or she will be able to walk you through the process of filing a claim and helping with any investigations. Make sure to be open and honest about what happened. Then ask what you’ll need to do to follow up. Knowing whether or not you need to submit photos from the scene or a police report helps you get started on playing your final role in the investigation.
Whether you’ve been in an accident or not, it’s important to make sure you have high-quality auto insurance in Chula Vista to protect yourself in the future. If you need affordable, reliable car insurance, look no further than the trustworthy pros at Altra Insurance Services. We can take care of a variety of your insurance needs, including motorcycle, homeowners, and business insurance. Give us a call today at (800) 719-9972 to find out more about our high-quality insurance products and impeccable service.